Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

AGRICULTURAL.
ESSAY No. 3.
" Let nothing be lost." We ought to be diligent and careful in collecting and preserving all such matters, which together, or separately, may operate as manures, and may increase the produce of the fruits of the earth in their seasons. Under our present management of manure, the practice is quite contrary of what it ought to be ; we do not increase and accumulate, but waste and disperse almost every substance which can be converted into manure and improve the soil. Prudence and economy point out that what is easiest and cheapest to be done, should be first done.

Making compost manure ought to be attended to by every farmer. By a little attention and less labour, our quantity of barnyard dung might be more than doubled; we might soon find the means, from increased crops, to prosecute more expensive improvements. The following process for making compost has been tested by experience; we recommend it to the consideration of our agricultural readers.

Let a suitable place for the heap be situated in the barn yard if practicable ; otherwise in such a situation as to receive the draining from the barn--Dig a hollow place in the earth in the form of a wooden tray, cast into it several loads of clay and spread it over the bottom, beat it until it has become very hard and smooth, over the whole surface, in order that the rich juices of the compost, might not be lost by soaking into the ground.

Having made those preparations, for compost heap, calculated, say, for a hundred loads. the following materials and their proportions is preferable--thirty loads of earth-the same quantity of mud from swamps or bogs; the residue to consist of the dung and wash of the hog stye, chips, cobs, leached ashes, dirt about the house upon which urine, wash-tubs. &c. have been emptied, cow-yard dung, straw. poor hay, &c. one or two loads of green vegetables are to be thrown on the top of the heap to keep it from drying and promote putrefaction. In collecting the materials for the heap, not more than two or three loads of any one kind should be carted, until that is spread over the whole surface, and then as much more of a different- kind is to be brought in and spread as before, and in that manner throughout the whole.

The preceeding operations are to be performed in May and June ; in the month of August, let the compost heap be turned up from the bottom, carefully mixing the several ingredients and pulverizing the whole as much as can conveniently be done : By this process putrefaction is greatly promoted. There is undoubtedly a great loss to the farmer, in making up of winter or coarse manure until it has been put it in a situation that may putrefy and thus become a proper manure, or food for vegetables. We might make a considerable quantity of manure, yearly, which would be superior in quality to stable dung, by digging a hollow in the hog yard, into which might be thrown green and tender vegetables and other materials that soon putrefy.

It is generally admitted that there might be great benefits and gains derived from paying a little attention to preserving and increasing manures; but the excuse among farmers is that they have no time to spare for that business. This however, is not the real cause why this important branch of farming is, so much neglected. Perhaps one of the' most powerful reasons which might be assigned, arises from the consideration that no immediate profits can be derived from labour and expense thus expended. Hence we see many, who are called farmers disregard the surest means, by which they might become, if not
rich, independent and in easy circumstances, namely the cultivation of the earth and the improvements of their lands : and engage in lumbering, &c. which yield rewards scarcely sufficient to pay the outfits. We ought to recollect that whatever labour and expense is judiciously .bestowed on our farms, either in collecting manures or making other improvements, is money at compound interest ; or as in times past, interest upon interest. Every year adds to the principal.

From a conviction that many of our citizens who have emigrated to the western country have been misled by false representations, and inveigled by speculators and their agents, from interested motives altogether, we have endeavoured to dissuade them from leaving a country, which, without the use of any other means than what is necessary to promote health, would not only give them a competency, but place them in affluent circumstances, for a barren wilderness, in a distant land, where the same routine of clearing and cultivation must be gone through with in order to secure to them what their farms in Maine are capable of yielding in great abundance--but so fond are mankind of change, and so willing to be duped, that it seems many have suffered themselves to be converted into articles of merchandize--and coaxed away in droves to such a distance, as to consume all their hard earnings to carry them to the land of promise and even when they have got there, they are represented to sigh and mourn to return. But as their money was all expended, they have had no other alternative left but to run in debt for some wild land, and begin the world anew.-As a corroboration of some of the sentiments here advanced, we extract from the last Argus the following letter from a land speculator in Pennsylvania, to a gentleman whom he wished to appoint as an Agent in Bath, dated
MEADville, Sept. 9, 1813.

SIR,

I have taken the liberty to write to you in consequence of my having received information that a large body of your People wish to remove into a new country, and have offered you a liberal Commission mentioned hereafter, which I hope you will consider as a sufficient object to induce you to make use of the necessary exertions.-It will however be necessary for you to guard against two things, one is, that you give the Persons you may send on, a letter or certificate directed to me, mentioning that you have sent them on, in order that I may enter your name in my Books, as entitled to the commission, otherwise the men may be claimed as being sent on by some of our other Agents, tho' I am confident they will not knowingly do it. The other is, the minds of the men must be made up to view the Land, notwithstanding any attempts on the road, may be made to discourage them, which will certainly be done-and if they are not firm, they will be induced to buy elsewhere, without knowing any thing about our lands, by which means you will lose your commission and we the settlers. You had better tear off this half sheet from the other, for if the people know of your receiving so large a commission, it may injure your influence with them.

I WILL allow you a commission of five per cent. on the amount of sales which may be made to the settlers you may bring on, to be paid out of the proceeds of such sales, or to be allowed you in credit for farms which you may require for your own use, as soon as the settlers may be permanently fixed on their farms.

Knowing that there is a general disposition existing in the state of New-York and all the eastern states to buy new lands, I think it cannot be difficult for you to form a company of 50 or 100 families to more on our lands. If you would bring on 100 families, each of whom would probably require 200 acres : this at five per cent. would entitle you to $3000 or 1000 acres of land, as you might elect, for which you should receive a clear and indisputable title by warrantee deed. This land I am confident in a few years will be worth from 10 to 15 dollars per acre. Thus, by forming a company of 100 families, you may realise to yourself, without any manner of risque or any great trouble, a property of 10 or 15,000 dollars, which will be an increasing interest. If the company should be larger, your commission of course will be in that proportion. Indeed, I know of no manner, in which property can be so ceriainly, easily and rapidly made.

Meadville, Pennsylvania,
I am your obt. Serrant.
AUGUSTUS SACKET.